Famed for blue skies and beautiful beaches, Qingdao has laid the groundwork for an advanced, environmentally friendly system to accelerate growth in the marine economy. Photos Provided to China Daily

The third-largest for containers in China, Qingdao Port is key to the city's oceanic economy.

Growth fueled by modern marine-related industries

The local government of Qingdao recently vowed to redouble its efforts to develop the coastal city's marine economy to further drive overall growth.

"We will work full steam ahead to facilitate economic development, accelerate growth in the marine economy, adjust the industrial structure and make progress in culture, education, ecology and environmental protection as well as people's welfare," Zhang Xinqi, mayor of Qingdao, said in a speech to the local People's Congress in January.

Using the foundation of 204 planned key projects with estimated investment of nearly 540 billion yuan ($86.8 billion), the city will forge a modern industrial system characterized as "new, advanced, maritime and environmental-friendly," said local officials.

The focal point of the master plan is the marine - or "blue " - economy, Zhang stressed.

With 115 billion yuan in investment, the government intends to cultivate some 100 key enterprises and promote 100 projects in the blue economy.

Both the provincial government of Shandong and the city government will offer special funding to support the projects.

The Qingdao government has mapped out a plan for the construction of a Research and Development Core Area in the city to better use the synergy of local high-tech companies in marine industries.

The area has another name -Blue Silicon Valley, which illustrates the big hopes for the plan.

To be a cradle for leading talent in marine technologies, the area will be home to several universities and research institutions.

The Qingdao city government has also formulated plans for developing blue economies in all 12 districts and a three-year action plan named "Blue Leap".

Last year, Qingdao's marine economy generated an added value of more than 110 billion yuan, an increase of 20 percent over 2011.

The city has traditional strengths in marine equipment manufacturing, shipbuilding, the marine chemical industry, ocean transportation, fisheries, marine tourism - advantages that will be further consolidated, according to local officials.

As well, the government has completed planning for the West Coast New Economic Zone and started construction and development in some parts of the zone that will include a Sino-German Ecological Park and a Sino-Japan-Korea Creative Industry Park.

Other industries

In addition to marine-related emerging industries, the government also plans to promote projects in the Internet of Things, information safety, 3D manufacturing and intelligent robots.

About 150 projects - each requiring an investment of more than 100 million yuan - in areas like new energy, new materials, new medicines and new information technologies are in the pipeline.

Manufacturing is another pillar industry in Qingdao.

Local authorities plan to modernize the existing industrial chain for production of trains and ships, and also turn to more value-added areas including automobiles, yachts, satellite navigation and civil aviation.

To protect the environment, some existing local heavy industry companies including Qingdao Iron and Steel Group - the Qingdao subsidy of Sinopec - and Qingdao Hygain Chemical Group will be moved out of the old town to nearby industrial zones.

Another important component of the local government's work is expansion of service industries.

New financial service zones in prefecture-level areas like Jinjialing and Aoshanwei are under construction.

Other projects that will start construction soon include the West Coast International Shipping Center, Dongjiakou International Aquatic Products Trading Center and a cold-chain logistic base.

Also, a central business district is about to take shape in the downtown area of the Qingdao as a home to high-end trade and services.

The government is also calling for new tourism projects and additional convention facilities to raise the city's image and build it into an international destination for both private and business travelers.

In the coming year, new efforts will be put into several emerging industries with strategic significance - marine biotechnology, new materials, seawater desalination and renewable energy.

Last year, Qingdao's GDP growth was an estimated 10.5 percent and the goal for 2013 is to keep the same pace, Zhang said.

This year, the government sets targets of a 15 percent increase in public revenue, 20 percent rise in fixed asset investment and 8 percent growth in the total volume of foreign trade.

The unemployment rate is expected to be lower than 4 percent and the consumer price index will be capped at a maximum increase of 3.5 percent, local authorities said, adding that they also aim to meet targets in reducing carbon dioxide emissions set by the central government.

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